ENTERTAINMENT
M’sian Born Singer Lyia Meta Makes History as First Malaysian Singer Nominated for Grammy Award
Plenty of Malaysians have made waves in the entertainment scene, such as Michelle Yeoh, who won Best Actress for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' at the Oscars in 2023 as well as Ronny Chieng’s win at the Emmys through his work on The Daily Show.
More recently, Malaysian-born singer Lyia Meta has cemented her status on the global music scene for her vocals in a Grammy-nominated blues album.
Her song “Delta Shine,” featured on Latin-American musician Antonio Vergara’s album The Fury, which secured a nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category.
She expressed her excitement on Instagram and said she feels honoured to be featured on a Grammy-nominated project.
“Nominated for a Grammy! It’s an honour to be part of this remarkable album and to have my voice featured on Delta Shine (Track 2),” she wrote.
“This project brought together a lineup of amazing artistes, each adding their own unique touch to create something truly powerful,” she added.
In an interview with Free Malaysia Today, Meta said that the nomination represented more than personal success as it highlighted the potential of Malaysian artists to compete and excel on the global stage.
"For independent artists, being part of an album nominated for a Grammy is more than just an honour,” she shared.
Meta explained, "Without the backing of major labels, this is confirmation of one’s dedication to creating something meaningful, like turning straw into gold amidst the noise.”
Although Meta became the first Malaysian singer involved in a Grammy nomination, Malaysian-born composer Zuraini Khalid Zonneveld had previously won a Grammy for a blues album while prominent Malaysian-American, Phil Tan, an audio engineer and mixer, has won three Grammys and received 14 nominations.
This isn’t the first time Meta has put Malaysia on the global stage. Back in 2022, she took home two international music awards—Female Vocalist Of The Year and Performance Of The Year—at the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards.
The 2025 Grammy nominations were announced on November 8. The prestigious awards ceremony will take place on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Featured Image Credit: Lyia Meta | Facebook, Apple Music
Featured Image Credit: Lyia Meta | Facebook, Apple Music
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